Recently retired hurler Richie Hogan says that he’s happy to have played 17 seasons for Kilkenny, at peace in the knowledge that he got as much as he could out of his career.
The Danesfort club-man was on punditry duty for RTÉ for O’Loughlin Gaels’ Leinster club hurling final against Na Fianna.
Speaking alongside Dublin hurler Eoghan O’Donnell, Hogan told RTÉ’s Damian Lawlor that he’s ‘very much content’ with his lot, admitting that while the injury-plagued closing years of his career were difficult, others were described as having been ‘great.’
“I felt I got the most I could out of it, that’s for sure,” said Hogan.
“Happy to get 17 seasons, which is a lot more than most people are lucky enough to have.
“Some of those were difficult, and some of those were great, but I’m very much content, I wouldn’t say I’m happy but very much content that I’ve done enough,” he added.
"From a GAA perspective, the focus should be on more investment – not changing things around…"
Our @RTEgaa panel have been discussing with @LawlorDamian the withdrawn proposal to remove smaller counties from the National Hurling League… #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/9S2PEuuknq— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) December 2, 2023
The seven-time All-Ireland winner interestingly told Lawlor that the modern style of hurling is more suited to his game than the more direct style which existed during what could be described as the peak years of his career.
“I would say the game now, suits a player like me far more than it would have initially because when I started, you’re talking about high balls coming into the square and high balls coming in from puck-outs, all of the time, which was never easy,” he said.
“I think players are using the ball a bit better now, using their own speed and skill and possibly, making a bit easier to play now, which helped me a little.”
“The way the game was played, the first five years that I played, it would have been a little more difficult to keep it up,” he said.
It says it all about his ability though that, during those peak years, he still scaled to the very peak of the game, winning four All-Stars and one Hurler of the Year award between 2011 and 2016.
Unfortunately, due to a string of injuries, Hogan’s minutes were reduced in his latter years, as he became more accustomed to a bit-part role.
There were still some glimpses of genius to be seen, such as the goal he scored against Galway in the 2020 Leinster final in Croke Park.
https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1327696993993502722
Speaking on Saturday, Hogan’s fellow analyst Eoghan O’Donnell summed up the opinion of many hurling defenders.
“I’ve marked Richie a few times, but this is the closest I’ve got to him (standing here.) I’ll rest easier before Kilkenny games.”
Hogan was announced as a pundit for GAAGO ahead of the 2024 championship, with nine hurling championship games to be broadcast exclusively on the streaming platform.
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